


I Want Your Midnights - A One Shot, Mini Fic

by benshearingaid



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: M/M, Sort of an AU, give me these scenes, imagine nothing happened after the almost wedding, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-16 10:24:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21506338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benshearingaid/pseuds/benshearingaid
Summary: 'But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day.'Imagine Ben and Callum didn't continue their relationship progress after the almost wedding. They remained friends and there were still feelings involved but it was all too soon for Callum.Until now.Inspiration : New Year's Day - Taylor SwiftA playlist to accompany this one shot can be found on my Spotify (ballumplaylists)
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 75





	I Want Your Midnights - A One Shot, Mini Fic

"Here, Mother." Ian Beale thrust a glass of wine into Kathy's hand, almost spilling it completely.   
"Ian!" She wailed, irritated by her eldest son.  
"The fireworks ain't even on yet, Ian." Lola said from her seat, sipping her vodka and coke. She was amused.  
"Yeah, well, it makes a change for me to actually be here tonight. I'm usually workin' ain't I?" Ian said, picking at the last remaining cocktail sausages from the buffet he'd put out earlier that night.  
"You?! It's usually me!" Kathy says, throwing a sausage roll at Ian.  
The whole roomed laughed out loud. Most audibly from Lexi who was sat cross legged on the carpet, colouring fireworks onto white A4 pieces of paper with her crayons.  
"Does anyone want another drink?" Callum Highway asked, standing up and heading towards the kitchen.  
"Yeah, go on then. Since my lovely brother didn't bother to ask." Ben Mitchell said, giving a knowing glance to Ian.   
Ian mocked him and turned back to the television, resting his head on the palm of his hand. He was done for the night. Not moving now.  
"There's five minutes until the countdown." Jay Brown said, nodding towards the clock on the fireplace that read 11.55.  
"I say we do shots." Ben said, following his best friend Callum into the kitchen.  
"Oh, no thank you. You youngsters can by all means, but I will not be partaking." Kathy said, shaking her head with a grimace on her face.  
"That ain't what you said at my birthday party this year, Kath!" Lola said, smirking across at her.  
Kathy groaned.  
"Don't remind me, Lo, that was... a terrible decision."   
"Seem to recall you dancing on the bar...?" Ben said, coming back into the living room, a tray of shot glasses in his hands.  
"You imagined it." Kathy denied.  
"Nah... definitely saw that. Scarred me for life." Ben said, receiving a swat on the arm from Kathy.  
"Here." Ben handed Bobby a bottle of beer, not so discreetly.  
"Oi! He ain't old enough!" Kathy said.  
"Oh, Muvva, it's New Year and he's here with us! If he can't drink with his family for a celebration then when can he?" Ben said, rolling his eyes.  
"When he's 18!" Kathy said, attempting to take the glass bottle from Bobby's hand.  
He swiped it the opposite way and took a swig, making Ben cackle.  
"That's the spirit!" He said, patting Bobby on the shoulder.  
"Right, are we drinking these now or when the clock strikes midnight?" Callum asked.  
"The night is young and so are we, Call. We have plenty more where these came from." Ben said.   
The four youngsters threw the shots of alcohol back and winced, the liquid burning the backs of their throats.  
"What the hell are those?! Petrol?" Lola asked.  
"It's that bottle Ian got us for Christmas." Callum replied, tears in his eyes from the taste.  
"Get this from Big Mo on the cheap, did ya Ian?" Jay asked, coughing.  
Ian ignored him and kept his eyes on the television.  
The presenters announced that there were only two minutes to go until midnight.  
"Oh my goodness, it's almost a new year." Lola said, suddenly tipsy.  
"Well, yeah, that's usually what New Year's Eve means, Mummy!" Lexi, her Father's daughter piped up.   
Ben was amused. "That's my clever girl." He said, ruffling her hair.   
"It's happening!!!!" Ian announced. The screen displayed Big Ben.   
"We could've stood on the roof and watched the real thing." Jay suggested.  
Kathy shook her head, not getting his sarcasm. "Don't suggest it, you know what these pair are like." She said, indicating at her sons.  
The famous Big Ben clock chimes rang through the room, everyone silent and focused on the television.  
" _TEN_  
NINE  
EIGHT  
SEVEN  
SIX  
FIVE  
FOUR  
THREE  
TWO  
ONE

_HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

__

The welcome sound of auld lang syne played out as the Beale's and their extended family stood to wish each other a Happy New Year. Hugs and cheek kisses were exchanged. Ben and Callum embraced, sharing an awkward glance between them.   
Lola noticed and looked at Jay who was spinning Lexi around, making her squeal with glee.  
"Right. Bedtime." Lola announced, pointing at her daughter.  
"But, Muuuuuuuuum!" Lexi groaned, deflated.   
"I said you stay up until midnight. It's now midnight plus two minutes so you're already late. Bed, now." She instructed, pointing a painted fingernail to the stairs.  
Lexi's bottom lip stuck out and she turned to her Father, hoping to wrap him around her little finger as she always could.  
"Come on, Lo. It's New Year!" He said, sticking his bottom lip out too and cocking his head to one side.  
She sighed, shaking her head. "You two are so irritating." She said.   
Lexi squealed and jumped onto her Father's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and covering him in kisses.  
"Alright, alright!" He said, laughing.  
"Will you lot hush?!" Ian hissed, still trying to watch the fireworks on the television.

A few hours passed by and the house was now silent. The fireworks outside had stopped and the only sound to be heard across the Square was the sound of drunk residents making their way back home from the Queen Vic's annual party.   
Ben tiptoed back downstairs to rejoin Callum.  
"She's finally back asleep. Think your Christmas present to her did the trick." He whispered, sitting beside the older man.  
"She's definitely your daughter." Callum laughed, shaking his head and tipping the last drop of beer into his mouth from the glass bottle in his hand.  
Ben nodded in agreement.  
Ian, Kathy and Bobby had headed up to bed around an hour ago and Jay and Lola had gone back to Jay's for the night. Lexi had meant to be going with them but she often wanted her Dad when she was over tired. She'd cried when Lola had tried to put her coat and shoes back on.  
Ben gave in and let her stay with him at the Beale's instead but this meant Lexi wanted to stay up with him and Callum. She'd fallen asleep on the sofa between them around half an hour ago and when Ben carried her upstairs to bed, she'd woken back up and asked for a story to be read to her.  
"You want another?" Ben asked, nodding towards the empty bottle in Callum's hand.   
"Yeah, go on then." He smiled. "I'll come with you."   
Both men stood from the sofa and headed towards the fridge.  
"Thanks for coming tonight. It meant a lot to Lex." Ben smiled.  
"Of course. And anyway, I wasn't going to the Vic. Not with Shirl charging a tenner each to get in." Callum retorted, his voice dripping with humour.  
Ben chuckled, handing over a fresh, cold bottle of beer. "Yeah, there's that too."   
"Nah, I'm really glad you invited me tonight." Callum smiled at Ben, the electricity fizzing between them. "We should start clearing up." He added, feeling slightly awkward.  
"It can be done tomorrow. Leave it." Ben said, pulling Callum's arm away as he collected up discarded paper plates and plastic cutlery.  
"It's one less job for your Mum." Callum said, continuing.  
Ben groaned. He knew Callum was right. And he knew he'd be able to use it if Kathy ever had a moan at him.   
Remember when I tidied up for you after New Year, despite the fact my blood was practically alcohol????   
He begrudgingly grabbed a black bin bag from the cupboard underneath the sink.   
"So, you got any resolutions?" Callum asked.  
Ben shrugged.  
"Dunno. Not really thought about it. Have you?" He asked, picking up the empty bottles from the counter and putting them into the recycling box.  
"I guess... to just be happy." Callum sighed. "As... soppy as that sounds."  
It had been a tough year for him. Breaking up with Whitney, coming out to his Father and brother. Dealing with Stuart now Rainie was banged up. Learning of Chris' death. Keeping his feelings for Ben bottled up. He was really glad they were friends. After everything.   
"Yeah, that is quite soppy." Ben agreed.  
Callum swung the tea towel at him but was amused. He had to admit, he was happy now. He just hoped it lasted.  
"Don't you want a boyfriend?" Callum asked, out of the blue.  
Ben spluttered. He'd just taken a gulp of beer. He coughed, attempting to clear his airway.  
"Blimey, ask me outright why don't cha?" He said, wiping his eyes that had begun to water.  
"No, I just.... don't you want to be happy?" Callum asked, heading into the living room to continue to clean up.   
Ben followed him.  
Callum began throwing the empty metal food trays into the bin bags in his hand.  
"I am happy. I've got my daughter, my family... you." Ben said.   
Callum looked up silently and that same electricity returned.   
"I'm glad we could overcome all that bullshit from before. And be where we are today. And... I just want ya to know how... proud I am of ya." Ben felt the awkward now but he didn't stop speaking. "For being out and being you. Takes courage, I know tha'. But you done it anyway. So... yeah, I'm proud." He said, nodding. "As... soppy as that sounds." He added with a smirk.  
Callum threw the bin bags to the ground, his eyes not leaving Ben's for a single second. He strode across the room towards him, taking his face in both of his hands and kissing him, taking Ben's breath away.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this random scene that popped into my mind. Let me know if you liked it.
> 
> A playlist to accompany this one shot can be found on my Spotify (ballumplaylists)
> 
> My twitter : @benshearingaid


End file.
